Electrically controlled safety gate



July 19, `1949. F. R. ALLEN 2,476,792

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLL'D SAFETY GATE Filed Nov. 22, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l[Gli I N VEN TOR.

' l IZU'nIAZZeZ JW awfa July 19, 1949- F. R. ALLEN 2,476,792

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SAFETY GAT Filed Nov. 22, 194e v 4sneets-Sheeivz INVENTOR.

A11-c1 RN EYs July 19, 1949. F. R. ALLEN I 2,476,792

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SAFETY GATE Filed Nov. 22, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4ATTORNEYS Patented July 19, 1949 ED-f STAT ES. ?AT E NT" GFFILCE.

ELEGTRIGALLY GQNTROLLED SAFETY; Franklticharct Allen, Roxbury, Mass;

AcnnlcatiomNoycmber 22, 1946SerialfNo; 7,111,542-

8 Claims.

The present. invention relates. generally tev protective. or. safety.devices. and. appliances for. safes,Y stores.. banks,. show-windows andsimilar structures. and.. places, and. more.. specifically. to.`

arr improved.. electrically, controlled. safety` gate of. the.lazytongs: or toggle-jointed type,y which is designed; as. a. barrier..guard. or shield, against robbery...

For. convenience in: illustration.V and. description the:automati'callyfoperatedgateis shown` asy controll'ediby a circuifrmountediuponastoreWindow.,

or glass. plate thatl frangible; and in. carrying;

out my. 'invention' I employ. am extensible and. re.- tractible. gate.in the; form. of. a. barrier that is automatically movable in.. avertical. plana, fromA beneath the oor' of.' a structure. such as astore.

or. bankV that; isY to be. protectedto, an. elevated. or. extendedvprotective. position above, the. oor. and in front' of the articles; to;be. protected.

An electrically operated' safety system ispro.- f

vided for automatically.- breaking; a. control.. circuit; or. multiplepeliall-ccmt'rolled switches. may.

selectively. be used,.f`or energizing electrically. op.-V

erated releasing means to. permit autommic extensionA of the. barrier..Electrically.- controlled mechanism utilized. for. supporting the.barrier in elevated" or operative position; and electrically controlledpower mechanismis employedior de.- pr-essing, the. elevatec barrier to.its initial, im operative position. beneath. a floor..

The primary objectv ofthe invention isfthe pro,-v visl'on. of. aprotective, appliance of, this type that.

In the.accompanying,drawlngsLhave illustrat-l edV one. complete example.ot a. physical embodiment of my1 inventiomwherein thefparts are combinedand arranged in accord with one mode I- have devised. for. the.practical application of the-princi1; )les.-4 of.. myJ invention; Itwill, however,

be understood that changes andalteraticns are contemplated; and. mayl bemadeL in these exam-- plifying drawings and mechanical structures,within the: scope et. my claimswithout departing from the principlesrefmy invention..

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing: an in.-

stallation of the protective system ofmyfinven.- tion, with theextensible gate depressed' an'dretained in inoperative, position, and'vdisclosing diagrammatically an electrical release system under control'of" a circuit breaking switch forv a store windowpshowwlndomor' similarbreakfable plate.

Figure 2 is an enlargedviewln elevation ofthe Y Figure 4 is atransverseV vertical sectional- View of the equipment, with the; gatein. elevatedy position, and illustrating the useofi a lullet-prooi4glassI plate carried by;y the gate, or'barrier;

Figure 51is aY longitudinaltseotional viewthrough `the lowerV or basebarh of the extensible gate; disclosing the loose pivotali connectionsVof thea-toggle joints or lazy tongs;

Figure 6 is airont*vlewl'etlrebaserbar*iny Fig: 5% Figure 7V andvFigure- 3', aref detail views' or one of the elevating rack`r bars with.af resilientl'y mounted' switch plate:

Figure 9 is a detail view-in elevation at.thetol):V

of the retractedv or depressed barrier;I

Figure 1o isI adetail; edge tiewforend View as seen in Fig. 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail vertical secr tional view ofonezotthatwotdetaining. or leclrimr.v bolts.

Figure 12. isy a horizontal sectional: View of' the bolt casing with itsboltmnuntedtherein-.-

Figure 13. isl a detail View. at' enea end. or one; ofthe supportingvbolts. whichsupportthe barrier in elevated position.; and.'

Figure 14 is a dia-grammaticv viewi'ofrthef elec.e trical control systemftvrI the, two. detaining or: locking bolts, and: the pain oneate.-supporting; bolts. y

In order that. the equipment; and; installation may readily beunderstood. have; indicated Fig. 4 a floor F havingfa, vertical passagethere` through, and a counter: of conventional. typeis shown by dotted.lines,.tngether with the; bar-- rier or gate having a bulletfprootglass. plate B mounted on and carried. by the, extensible gate; insuitable mannerv as an additional protective. means for valuablesagainst-robbery..

As best seen in. the; elevatedor extended` posie tion of Fig. 3, the.barrierfor gateincludes a. lazy tong or toggle jointed structure lf ofymetal. or other suitable material andai. desi-red. size-which isequipped with an upper movable cross bar 2 and a lower stationary bottombar or base bar 3, that provide a rectangular structure which may beprojected and retracted with relation to the stationary base bar. Thecross bars are preferably of channel shape and provided with slotted,centrally located guide tongues 4, ll, and the pivot joints of the lazytong structure are arranged to permit quick action and movement inextending and in depressing the barrier, as it is automaticallyelevated, and depressed mechanically by power operated means, withrelation to the iioor F.

The lower end of the barrier, beneath the floor, is provided with twospaced stationary frames and 6 that are bolted or otherwise secured toand depend from the base bar 3, and these frames are each provided witha lateral projection or support I, 'I which co-act with bolts 8 and 9 insupporting the barrier or gate in elevated or eX- tended position.

For elevating or raising the barrier from its initial depressed positionbeneath the iioor, a pair of upright spaced bars It and II are united bya horizontal tie bar I2 that is loosely pivoted to the barrier I, as atI3, I3, above the base bar 3, and these elevating bars, which move withthe gate structure are o suiiicient length to telescope through suitableguide blocks or bases I4, I 4 that are mounted at the line of .asub-licor indicated as S of a building structure..

Structurally .heavy and comparatively strong helical springs I5, I5 a-recoiled about the elevating bars I9, II and interposed between the supuports l, 1, and a pair of anchors for the lower ends of the springs, asfor instance, the two bases Ill, Ill; and a pair of detaining slidebolts I6 and I'i are employed for co-action with the springs in lockingthe barrier in depressed position.

The barrier is automatically elevated by the springs when the detainingbolts are retracted or withdrawn; the supporting bolts B and 9J underelectric control, are projectedto position for coaction with thesupports 1, l, of the elevating bars after the barrier is elevated;andafter the barrier has served its purposethe elevated structure isdepressed to initial and inoperative position.

For use in retracting and depressing the barrier, a centrally located,upright rack bar I8 is rigidly bolted to the frame bar I2, and this rackbar rides against an anti-friction roller I9 journaled upon the base bar3. The vertically movable bar is elevated by means of a rack gear 2Qmeshing with the teeth of the rack bar and keyed upon a horizontalrotary shaft 2|, which is journaled in bearings 22 that are mounted upona iixed frame 23, 23; and an electric motor 2d provides the power foractuating the rack and gear for lowering the barrier, it beingunderstood that the gear rotates idly as the rack bar is elevated withthe barrier.

The two supporting bolts 8 and 9, and the two locking bolts I 6 and II,areV each mounted to slide and reciprocate horizontally in a housing as25, which is supported or suspended in proper position with relation tothe elevating bars, on stationary frames 26 rigid with the frame members5 and S, and each of the bolts, which are equipped with anti-frictionrollers 21, is projected by means of a spring 28, and retracted by meansof electrically operated appliances.

With the supporting bolts 8 and 9 retracted, and the detaining bolts I6and I'I projected into locking position for co-action with the springsI5,

as indicated in Fig. 1 where a store window W is equipped with anelectric control circuit 29 preferably made up of tinfoil and includinga battery B; if the window glass is broken and the circuit 29 thusinterrupted, a relay 3U is closed to energize the operating circuit 3lfor the two bolts I8 and II. The operating circuit includes solenoids32, 32, and when energized, these solenoids utilizing the rear ends ofthe bolts as armatures, retract the bolts from locked position thuspermitting the springs to project the barrier to uplifted position. Inlieu of the broken window pane W, multiple, pedal-operated switches mayselectively be used in the control circuit 29 for energizing theoperating circuit 3l of the bolts IS and II to unlock these bolts.

Immediately following the elevating movement of the barrier thesupporting bolts 8 and 9, that have been held in retracted position bymeans of solenoids 33, 33 which are included in norn mally closedcircuit 34 connected with power lines 35 and 36, are released as by acircuit breaker 31. As the solenoids 33, 33, are de-energized, thespring-pressed bolts 8 and 9 are projected into position beneath thesupports or abutments l, 1, of the elevating bars IIl-I I, to rigidlysupport the extended or elevated barrier in upright position.

The electric motor 24 and the rack I8 and gear 29 are utilized inresetting the appliance by retracting the barrier and depressing itbelow the oor, after the Operating circuit 34 has been closed toenergize the solenoids 33 and the supporting bolts thus retracted fromthe abutments 7.

If necessary or desirable, the barrier may also be elevated by powerfrom the motor through the rack and gear, and for this purpose abevel-gear clutch 31 is interposed between the motor shaft and the gearshaft 2l and operated by a solenoid 38 which is included in the circuit3l of the locking bolts I5 and I'I. k

When the motor circuit 35i-3B is closed and the motor 24 is operated torevolve the gear 23, the rack bar is depressed carrying with it. thefolding portion of the elevated barrier, and the i depression of thebarrier is automatically stopped as a movable contact 39 mounted on therack bar frictionally engages and operates or opens a relay 4D in thecircuit 3l. At the same time the retracted locking bolts I6 and I'I arereleased by their solenoids 33 and their springs project these boltsinto detaining position over the springs I il, II, to lock the barrierin depressed position, thus setting the appliance in position forautomatic action when required,

Various electrical appliances such as relays and other neces-saryequipment including switches are provided for properl control of thecontrol and operating circuits, and changes and alterations may be madein the illustrated diagrams in adapting the appliance to variousprotective purposes. The barrier may be manufactured in dilerent sizesfor different purposes, and more than one barrier may be installed andequipped with the electrically controlled operating mechanism of myinvention for use in protection of valuables in stores, banks, and otherplaces.

Danger signals of the audible type, or of the visual type, may beincluded in the electrical system, for automatic operation, and otherappliances may be utilized in the installation of the protective system.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electrically controlled protective appliance, the combinationwith a depressed automatically elevatable gate having supports, ofspring-bolts for locking the gate in depressed position and electricallycontrolled means for releasing the bolts, electrically retracted andspring-pressed bolts for co-action with the supports for holding thegate in elevated position, mechanical means for depressing the barrier,and electrical controls for said mechanical means.

2. In a protective appliance, the combination with a depressed andextensible gate of the lazy tongs type having movable supports, ofspringpressed slide bolts for detaining the gate in depressed positionand electrically controlled means for releasing the bolts, automaticmeans for elevating the depressed gate, spring pressed slide bolts forsupporting the elevated gate, and electrically operated means forretracting the supporting bolts.

3. In a protective appliance, the combination with a depressed lazytongs gate having movable supports, and automatic means for extendingthe gate, of spring-pressed bolts engaging the supports and means forreleasing said bolts, a second pair of spring-pressed bolts adapted tosupport the gate in elevated position and means for releasing saidbolts, and means for depressing the elevated gate.

4. In a protective appliance, the combination with a depressed lazytongs gate having movable supports, and resilient automatic means forextending the gate, of locking means engaging said supports to hold thegate in depressed position and means for unlocking said means, meansadapted to coact with the supports for supporting the gate in elevatedposition and means for releasing this supporting means, and means fordepressing the elevated gate.

5. In a protective appliance, the combination with a lazy tong gatehaving movable supports, and spring-actuated means for elevating thegate from depressed position, of spring-pressed slide bolts fordetaining the spring actuated means in depressed position andelectrically operated means for releasing said bolts, spring-pressedsuporting bolts for holding the gate in elevated position andelectrically operated means for releasing these bolts, mechanical meansfor depressing the gate, and electrically controlled means for operatingthe mechanical means.

6. In a protective appliance, the combination with a depressed lazytongs gate having a pair of elevating bar-s, supports on the bars, andsprings for elevating the bars, of spring-pressed slide bolts forcoaction with the supports in detaining the gate in depressed positionand means for retracting said bolts, spring-pressed bolts for coactionwith the supports in elevated position and means for retracting saidbolts, and means for depressing the gate.

7. In a, protective appliance, the combination with a depressed lazytongs gate having a pair of spaced elevating bars, supports on the bars,a central rack bar rigid with the elevating bars, a rack gear coactingwith the rack bar and means for rotating the gear to depress the gate,`of springs for coaction with the supports in ele- -vating the gate,detaining means coacting with the supports for holding the gate indepressed position and means for releasing the detaining means,retracted supporting means, and means for projecting said means intocoaction with the elevated supports.

8. In a protective appliance, the combination with a depressed lazy tonggate having a pair of elevating bars and supports thereon, anintermediate rack bar rigid with the bars, a rack gear coacting with therack bar for depressing the gate, and electrically controlled means forr0- tating the rack gear, of springs mounted on the elevating bars forcoaction with the supports in elevating the gate, spring-pressed slidebolts detaining the gate in depressed position and electrically operatedmeans for retracting the bolts, spring-pressed slide bolts adapted tocoact with the supports in elevated position for supporting the elevatedgate, and electrically controlled means for retracting the lastmentioned slide bolts,

FRANK RICHARD ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Williams Aug. 24, 1926Number

